THE CHALDEAN ORACLE

Freeing Ishtar

Prologue

The harsh winter wind hit against the expose skin of his face. He knew that if he stayed for another hour outside like this he would begin to feel like tiny needles piercing the skin on his cheeks. For some reason, he kind of wanted to.

He pulled the collar of his coat tighter around his neck, breathing in through his nose, the dry freezing air.

The temperature was definitely low.

He kept walking with no destination. He had no idea why he had decided to come to this city, and freeze his butt off, but he had. Usually he would be somewhere like Greece this time of the year, or anywhere more south then Canada actually. And Quebec City who was close from the St-Lawrence River just made the wind even colder.

Far ahead, he could see the wall that surrounded the Old-Québec and suddenly had the urge to go to the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church, just to walk in front. He didn't know why, he just did.

He sped up his pace.

What was he doing here in winter? This was definitely in his top twenty worse decisions, up with that time he had decided he really wanted to put on the Crown Jewels.

He kept walking on the silent street, only lightened by the side walk lamps, his breath making fog in front of him.

When he crossed under St. John's Gate, an old lady that was sitting on the ground, back against the arch raised her hand towards him to stop him. "Sir, freezing aren't you," she asked, her voice croaking, "It's always freezing here, wouldn't you occur? How would you like... everlasting warmth... and at a very low price?"

He couldn't see her face, covered by the hood of her shabby outfit, could only hear her voice, but it really didn't matter. He knew exactly what he had in front of him.

"Thanks, but no thanks," he snorted and tried to walk past her, but she got on her feet in a light-speed movement.

"Are you sure?" She tried to make her voice suave.

She failed. Miserably.

He rolled his eyes. "Go sell your bullshit elsewhere."

And then, sure thing, she did the trade mark maniacal laugh. He had wondered when it would come. "Big words, bad words, filthy words, vicious words coming from the mouth of someone pure... But you are not pure anymore, are you?" She appraised him, from head to toe. "You are dark, your soul is dark. There is no redemption for someone like you. You are doomed." She laughed again.

He laughed too. "And you are obviously drunk. Nice little chat, we should definitely do this again," he motioned between them, then took an exasperate breath and tried to side step around her. He didn't feel like killing someone tonight, so she had better get out of his way.

But she raised her hand, trying to press it on him to stop him. "I know you..." she crooned.

Oh great, he thought.

"You don't," he stated. He barely even knew himself anymore.

"Oh I do. I remember you." She sounded please by that fact.

"I highly doubt so."

"Oh yes I do, I do. Coal and Fire. Fire and Coal. Who could forget?" He eyes gleamed. "Luci's looking for you." There was a smile in her voice.

"Oh this is just great," he mumbled, but she didn't seem to notice.

This was exactly what he didn't need at the moment.

"You've done a lot of wrong haven't you? Seen a lot of bad things. Luci will be happy to know I found you. For the bad, bad things you have done."

Again she sounded please.

And he was angry now.

"Yes, yes I have. I'm a bad, bad man. And you just pissed off the bad, bad man," he snarled.

Faster than she could have registered, his hand wrapped around her throat, index and thumb pressing on the arteries in the neck, stopping the blood to flow to her brain.

He leaned his head towards her ear, while she clawed at his arm, gasping for air, trying to break free, and whispered, "Tell Luci I'm still not interested."

And then he snapped her neck.